Hello Society + The New York Times

Not only was working with HelloSociety, one of our oldest clients, on the revamping of their website a great creative challenge, but it also meant we got plenty of time with the CEO’s French Bulldog, Kevin.

Part of the New York Times group, HelloSociety is a big player within the world of influencer networks. Our relationship with this brand began more than 3 years ago, making them one of our oldest clients. We began by helping them with graphic design and visuals such as artwork, presentations and social media materials (see the full case study for the HS partnership here). After four years of having the same website, HelloSociety turned to us to update their aesthetic. Since we have been reinventing their language over the years, this was the perfect opportunity to create something fresh, without losing the essence of the company.

The challenge with this project was narrowing in on HS’s offering. We set out to create create something light, modern and unique, with organized content in various sections, without feeling overwhelming or confusing. The client requested a site that would serve as a white canvas, in order to showcase the various content from HS’s influencers, while still being in line with the brand’s colors and overall aesthetic.

We began our process with a ton of strategic planning—defining the amount of pages and choosing the content and photos. We also gathered visual references that the client could look over to see which directions they liked best. We then entered the UX phase, which meant we were discovering the persona behind the website, as well the order of the information, the blocks and sizes. This phase of the process is very revealing for the client, as it begins to unravel exactly who they are, how they see themselves and how they want to present themselves to the world. Through this exploration of their values and ideas, the HS team left with a more defined pitch and understanding of how to display their offerings.

We then entered the UI phase, which is always the most fun. As colors, fonts and textures were introduced, we had insight into the future of this project. Gabriel Ijui, our graphic artist, usually spends his time in Berlin, but headed off to Greece in search of inspiration. He has been a part of this account for years now and was able to tap into a whole new level of creativity, thanks to the sun and sea vibes. This is a perfect example of how EAT strives to create a flexible work style for our team members. We believe that living a free, inspired life enables everyone to bring that way of being into their work. When our team is inspired, that bleeds into everything they create.

After the layouts were approved, the coding began. This phase is when those beautiful graphics are taken to the next level. Through transitions, transparencies and other special effects, they are no longer just visuals—they are alive. Once the front-end portion of the project was completed, we stayed closely connected to HS’s development team. Through daily checkpoints and constant communication, all parts of the site were in sync. By the end, everyone loved the new look and felt inspired by the changes. The launch was a total success and as always, we were so grateful to be a part of HelloSociety’s evolution. The future looks pretty bright for this amazing brand.